David Mabuza

Born 25 August 1960, in Brondal, Mpumalanga, David Dabede Mabuza is the current Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa having been first elected so on 26 February 2018 and sworn in again on 28 May 2019. He matriculated from Khumbula High School and obtained a National Teacher’s Certificate from Mngwenya College of Education in 1985. He furthered his studies at University of South Africa (UNISA) with Bachelor of Arts degree in 1989.

POLITICAL BACKGROUND

Mabuza has been involved in politics from his mid-twenties, holding the position of secretary of the Azania Student Organisation (AZASO) from 1984 to 1985, chairperson of NEUSA from 1986 to 1988, treasurer of FEP from 1986 to 1990, a co-ordinator of NECC from 1987 to 1989, and chairperson of the South African Democratic Teachers Union from 1988 to 1991. He taught at KaNgwane Department of Education from 1986 to 1988 and he was a Principal of Lungisani Secondary School from 1989 to 1993.

Mr Mabuza served as a Member of Executive Council (MEC) for Education in Mpumalanga from 1994 to 1998, as a regional Chairperson of the African National Congress (ANC) from 1994 to 1998, member of the Provincial Executive Committee of ANC from 1998 to 2006. From 1999 to 2001, he was MEC for Housing member of the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature from 1999 to 2001, member of Parliament from 2001 to 2004 and as a member of the Mpumalanga Legislature from 2004 to 2007. Mr Mabuza served as Deputy Chairperson of the ANC Mpumalanga Province in 2005, MEC for Road and Transport from 2007 to 2008, chairperson of the ANC Mpumalanga in 2008 and MEC for Agriculture and Land Administration from 2008 to 6 May 2009. He also served as leader of government business in the Mpumalanga Legislature in 2007.

Following the ANC’s December 2017 elective conference, Mabuza became the party’s deputy president, deftly refusing to outright support either Cyril Ramaphosa or Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

SCANDALS

In 2010, Mabuza opened a case with police alleging R14-million in cash was stolen from his house. However, the provincial organised crime unit insisted only R1,200 was stolen and Mabuza later reported only R4-million missing. The investigation into the case went nowhere.

In the same year, Mabuza was accused of "buying" his premiership by "gifting" R400,000 towards President Jacob Zuma’s 2008 wedding to Nompumelelo Ntuli. The Presidency did not deny the claim of the gift.

One of the most chilling allegations against Mabuza is that he is behind a number of political killings in Mpumalanga, one of them being the 2009 alleged fatal poisoning of a whistle-blower in tender corruption related to building the Mbombela Stadium for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.